VBS-tainted Vhembe municipality still has no manager

There is still no full-time municipal manager (MM) for the Vhembe district municipality in Limpopo since the former one was fired for allegedly sinking R300 million into the collapsed VBS Mutual Bank.

The municipality had allegedly planned to announce the new manager during a special council sitting, but surprisingly, the item was not on the agenda. It was instead rumoured that the position would be re-advertised.

The district municipality has been without a full-time manager since it reached a settlement with former municipal manager, Reuben Rambado.

Rambado was given a golden handshake after investing over R300 million into the Venda Business Society Mutual Bank. The investment was allegedly made without following the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).

In his position, the municipality forwarded its general manager for cooperative service manager to act.

The Citizen was told all processes for the recruitment of the manager had been exhausted but still there has been no appointment.

Speaking to The Citizen on Monday, municipal mayor Dowelani Nenguda confirmed that the municipality was still without a full-time manager and that an appointment was imminent.

“We have completed all the processes and we will appoint in no time. But the appointment matter was never on the agenda,” he said.

According to allegations from a source in the party, some ANC bigwigs within the region had dismissed the move, saying the successful candidate was big-headed and could not take his mandate from above.

The municipality would have had a new manager by Friday [tomorrow] this week. But a clandestine meeting comprising party bigwigs said the successful candidate could not be trusted going forward.

In June this year, the EFF called on the municipality to work with speed in taking action regarding the ongoing drought in the Collins Chabane municipality and elsewhere in the region.

The DA provincial chairperson and member of the Limpopo legislature, Jacques Smalle, also called on the council to fast-track the appointment of a municipal manager and a chief financial officer because residents were at the receiving end of very poor basic services in the region.

Yesterday, MEC for cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs Basikopo Makamu said his department was also waiting with bated breath for the appointment to be made.

“All we want is that the successful candidate should have a good track record in local governance,” he said.

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